This invention relates to a magnetic tape reproduction device having an auto-reverse function.
Conventionally, various types of tape recorders are proposed which are each designed to automatically reverse the recording tape to continuously reproduce the information recorded in the tape. For example, there is a cassette tape recorder in which when it is detected that the shafts of the feed and tape-up reels for the magnetic tape have stopped rotation a pulse signal is generated and used as a signal for energizing a driving circuit for the auto-reverse mechanism. In this type of tape recorder, however, elements constituting a circuit for generating the energizing pulse increase in number. This causes an increase in the manufacturing cost of the resulting tape recorder. Further, in this tape recorder, it is necessary to cause generation of the energizing pulse after completion of the reel-shaft rotation. This results in a low response characteristic in auto-reverse operation.
There is another example of tape recorder in which a period of reference time as previously set is compared with a period of travel time for a non-signal portion of the tape to be continuously detected and which, when a detecting means has detected that the latter period of travel time is longer than the former period of reference time, causes the detecting means to generate an energizing pulse thereby to cause automatic reverse of the tape. In this type of tape recorder, however, very likely to occur is an erroneous operation that a non-signal portion or zone between the recorded items of information, such as a non-recorded portion between passages in a music tape, is detected as the absence of signals in which state auto-reverse operation is carried out. This may raise inconvenience in reproduction. Further, where the tape is auto-reversed after completion of, for example, one music, this type of tape recorder inconveniently permits reproduction in a halfway of a music which is recorded or the other track and is to be reproduced next.